Company's safety record raises questions after massive L.A. warehouse fire
The massive food warehouse fire in Los Angeles in June followed a long run of fires at properties tied to one of the world's largest cold storage companies, a CBS News investigation has found.
A massive food warehouse fire in Los Angeles in June was not an isolated incident, but part of a pattern of fires at properties owned or operated by Lineage, one of the world's largest cold storage companies, according to a CBS News investigation. Federal records reveal at least 63 fires at Lineage properties over the past decade.
The company acknowledged 34 building fires since 2016, including a fire in Boyle Heights, California, that burned for nearly two months. A resident expressed frustration, stating that multiple levels of leadership, from Lineage to local and federal governments, have failed to ensure safety. Lineage, leasing and operating the Boyle Heights warehouse, stated it is working on odor control, pest control, and waste removal, and expects conditions to improve as cleanup continues.
Several residents have filed lawsuits against Lineage and other defendants, alleging negligence in operating and maintaining the facility, leading to the fire and exposing residents to toxic smoke and pollutants. Lineage was reportedly working on odor control, pest control, and waste removal. Government regulators have imposed over $4.5 million in penalties on Lineage for workplace safety and environmental violations, including an ammonia leak incident in North Carolina that resulted in a worker's death.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
